Shuttle check and release



N O T N A S E SHUTTLE CHECK AND RELEASE Filed June 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 30, 1936 E. A. SANTON I SHUTTLE CHECK AND RELEASE Filed June 26, 1934' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 pressure than does the protector finger.

Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES SHUTTLE CHECK AND RELEASE Elliot A. Sahton, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 26, 1934, Serial No. 732,493 7 Claims. (01. 139187) This invention relates to improvements in shuttle checking and releasing mechanism and it is the general object of the invention to provide a loom operating to check the shuttle effectively when it is boxed and relieve pressure on the shuttle at the time of picking.

In-certain types of slow running looms, such as those weaving heavy worsted, it has been common practice to use comparatively loose shuttle binders which exert a minimum of pressure on the shuttle as itis boxed so that at the time of picking there will be no undue strain or excess power consumption. When looms of this type are operated at a higher rate of speed, however, it is found that the rebounding of the active shuttle is objectionable and it is accordingly a further object of my invention to increase the checking pressure of the shuttle as the latter is boxed. and while the lay is in the forward part of its stroke. to prevent rebounding, and thereafter relieve the pressure prior to picking.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a floating binder with the type of control specified which shall be acted upon at the inner end by the protector finger and at the outer end by a spring which will normally exert a greater The result of this construction is that as the shuttle enters the box the protector finger will be thrown forwardly to permit continued running of the loom. When the inner end ofthe binder reaches the limit of its-forward movement, the outer end will begin to move against the relatively heavy spring. A connection from the crank connector of the lay causes the heavy spring to exert considerable pressure and continued movement of the shuttle into the box will beefiectively retarded, the binder moving bodily forwardly so that each end thereof is pressed yieldingly rearwardly and the binder surface can bear against the front wall of the shuttle.

The parts are so related that at the time of picking the pressure exerted by the heavy spring on the outer end of the binder is substantially or completely relieved and the protector finger is relied upon to hold the binder in guiding relation with respect to the shuttle. This is found to permit a very easy picking of the shuttle with a reduced power of consumption and wear of the shuttle.

The picker which propels the shuttle is subjected to wearing when the shuttle is boxed with too much force and also when it is picked out of the box against abnormal pressure. By checking the shuttle with a relatively high pressure when it first enters the box I relieve the picker of the necessity of absorbing very much of the momentum of the shuttle, and likewise by relieving the pressure at the time of picking the picker is required to transmit only that pressure which is .5 required to set the shuttle into motion plus that required to overcome the light force exerted by the protector finger. In this way the boxing and picking of the shuttle are controlled to reduce the wear of the picker to a minimum.

With these and other objects in View which will appear asthe description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the plain end of the loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of a por- 20 tion of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a detailed top planview in the direc-- v tion of arrow 3, Fig. 2, y I

Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a detailed assembly view of the box and shuttle contained therein,

Figs. 6 and 7.are diagrammatic end elevations of the loom showing the positions to. exert and relieve pressure, respectively,

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic viewsv representing difierent positions of the binder as the shuttle is boxed, and

Fig. 11 is similar to Fig. 10 but with the parts 35 in position for picking.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 6, the

loom frame I0 is provided with a lay ll mounted on swords one of which is indicated at l2. The

crank shaft I3 drives a connector I4 comprising 40 A protector'rod 20 of usual form is pivotally mounted on the front lower part of the lay and has secured thereto a protector finger 2| which is normally uregd rearwardly by a compression 55 spring 22 surrounding the rod 20 and acting in the usual manner.

A picking arm 25 on the bottom shaft 26 strikes a picker shoe 2'! and moves the sweepstick 28 and lug-strap 29 inwardly to draw the picker stick 30 inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 whenever the shuttle is to be picked. A magazine M may be used if desired and is of the usual for'm such as shown for instance in patent to Ryan No. 1,030,748.

The'matter thus far described may be of usual construction, the protector finger exerting a relatively light pressure rearwardly andoperating in known manner to stop the loom should the shuttle fail to be boxed properlyg but; permitting continued running of the loom should the-shuttle 'be efiective to move the finger forwardly at a given point in the advance of the lay.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide the outer end of the lay with an improved form t: shuttle binder 4B, the inner orfleftend of which as Viewed'i'n Figs. 2 and '5 ieceive's'the rear pressure or a protector finger f2l. The binder maybe formed of a strip of sheet metal 41 on the front thereof "to which is secured "a wooden block 42 formed substantially as shown in Fig. -5 'a'n d having "o n th e rear surface thereof a leather strap 43. Ihe inner end of the binder moves in and 'has its'forward r'notion limited by alooped stop 45 of usual "c'iinstru oti on-arid associated with "the perineum, g

The outer or right end of the metal strip 4! is as shown in Fig s. -3 andi5'to defi'neaslot 46 through which projects "a Vertical pin .41 carried by the lay an d projecting upwardly high enough to have prop r guiding 'relation with the side walls oi the slot. The right end-of the strip 4| "inay'be bent back'tothe left-and secured by welding tolthamalnbodythereof asshown'at'48 to close the fc'ir'ward end of the slot and also provide means for receiving pressurewhich is-exertas by head 49 of apressure"s'g'z'rew 50. I

Mounted on the layis arockin'gshaft -fhav- *ing an outer bearing "56 depending from the lay and an inner bearing 51 on a lay sword. 'A'pres- 'siire arm 58 is 'secu'red' to "shaft 55 in adjusted position by a set s'crew'59 arid'lias'theupperend' "formed'with a pocket 60 to receive the forward end of relatively heavy *cornpression spring til. The rear end of the latter-is receivedby another --"pocket*62 formed-in'a'rrarm 63 pivoted loosely on the *shaft55. The-"upper end"of"a'rr'n3 *carries the previously described pressure screw 50whi'ch :isadjustable' toward and from the 'birider' fll as is apparent from an inspection of Fig.3.

The-inner end'of shaft 55 has secured thereto aprearw'ardly extending-arm 10 having alaterally ofiset finger ll passing preferably between ,the connector-rods -l5 and-[S as shown in'Fig. 6.

Byirneans of' a set screw 12 the angular position Qof thearm 10 with respect-tothe shaft-55 may -beadjusted as desired. 7

It will be understood that as usually constructed the crank shaft will rotate in the direction of arrow a. so that theconnector rods are in lowjpo sitionfwhen thelay is moving forwardly as shown in Fig. 6. The 'relati'on'is suchthat the rea ent assume tlieir lowest position at ,about the ti'me theshuttle enters the'box, and 'I"take"a dvantageof this 'fact'to cause rod 15 to push down on finger H, thus pushing arm 58 ,i'earwardlywithihaximurn forceat this time. TheEpfi'r'i ans-penis s'sje'd' andfpushes the arm 'with 'maximu'm force,- headIS 63 arwa'rdly piessi'r'ig against 'the 'birider'and holding it substantially in the normal position indicated in Fig. 8.

Under these conditions the shuttle S will approach the shuttle box B as suggested in Fig. 8. The first contact of the shuttle with the binder moves the latter to the position shown in Fig. 9, the protector finger moving forwardly and the outer end of the binder held by spring 6|. As the shuttle continues to travel into the box, it will push the binder forwardly against the action of spring 6|, being resisted by the latter so that it strikes the picker P with only a slight force.

- The shuttle is then completely boxed, as shown in Fig. 10. Pin 4'! guides the binder in its back and io'r'thmotions relatively to the lay.

During boxing rod I5 is near its lowest position, and exerts heavy pressure on the binder throughout the rnovement of the shuttle into the box. Experience shows that the shuttle enters the box before the connector reachesits lowest position, hence the force 'exertedby the rod l5 continues to increase, and in practice is 'found to-be greatest at about the time the shuttle comes torest, thereby preventing rebounding.

As the lay -moves b'a'ckwardly -it-approaches the top center or picking position, and rod I5 conti rinesto rise, until the 'partsreach substantially the position shown in Fig. 7. 'By this time rod 15 has rnovedabove and away from finger'll and "the p''r'e'viou's'ly exerted heavy "pressure on "the binder -is relieved. "The shuttle is then picked against a 'very'light resistance which is due to the protector ringer-and the unbalanced weight 'o'fiarr'n 1'0. "Such resistance. is found to be adequeue to efietcorrect"delivery- 0f the shuttle from the-box.

From-the foregoing itwill be seen that I have provided a-n ir'n'proved shuttle binder and release effective to check the binder as the shuttle enters the'bo'xan'd torelieve the pressure 'at the time of picking, thussparing the picker of unnecessary wear incident to boxing and picking. It will further be seen that the'floating binder MI acts first to move'the protector finger after which its 'outerend. retards the shuttle. It will fur-ther-be seen thatth'e means-for exerting and relieving'the pressure described result in 'a very light-pressure on the binder at the time of pickmg.

Having thusfiescribed my inventionit will be seen that changes and modifications may be madether'ein by those skilled'in the'art'without departing from-the spirit and scope of the inventionand I do' not wish to-belimited to the details herein-disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a loo'm, having a-layand a shuttle box'to receive a shuttle, a binde'r' on thelayiforming part -of'the shuttle box, a lay driving connector, a

protector fingerexerting a relatively light pressure on' the iiinerend of the binder toward the cloth bein'g=w'oven, an armpressing on the outer end or 'thefbinder, a relatively heavy resilient rneansop'eratively related to the arm, and connections operatively relate'd to the'connector to cause the'relatively heavy resilient means'to press 'thearin against' the-outerend "of the binder, "whereby both- "ends of 'said'binder have yielding outward movements thereof resisted one end-With the ='fo'rc'e greater than i the other end when 3 the shuttle is boxed.

2. In a loom having ashu'ttle box to receive a shuttle a binder restrainedagainst substantial longitudinal movementyrelatively'to the lay but mov'able 1 bodily in" a direction transverse of -'the lay, a lay driving connector, a "protector finger adjacent one end of the binder to exert a relatively light force on said binder, an arm operatively related to the other end of the binder, and a relatively heavy resilient means operatively related to the arm and the connector and deriving from the latter a force which is communicated by said resilient means to the arm to resist movement of said other end of the binder by a force greater than that exerted by the protector finger when the shuttle is boxed.

3. In a loom having a lay provided with a shuttle box to receive a shuttle, a binder for the shuttle forming part bf the box, means to prevent substantial movement of the binder longitudinally of the lay and to guide the binder as the latter moves bodily transversely of the lay, and means to exert two different degrees of yielding pressure on the ends of the binder, the lesser pressure on the ends of the binder being exerted at the protector end which is engaged first by a shuttle when the latter is being boxed and the greater pressure being exerted against the other end of the binder.

4. In a loom having a lay with a shuttle box to receive a shuttle, a binder forming part of the shuttle box to check the motion of the shuttle, a connector to drive the lay having rising and falling movements during the loom operation, a shaft carried by the lay and extending substantially parallel to the direction of motion of the shuttle, means secured to the shaft to rock the latter by a force derived from the connector when the latter is in low position to rock said shaft in a given direction, an arm secured to the shaft and movable therewith, a second arm loosely pivoted to the shaft and operatively related to the binder, and a resilient connection between the two arms elfeotive when said shaft is moved in the given direction by a force derived from the connector to urge the second named arm toward the binder to urge the latter yieldingly toward shuttle checking position, the binder being movable by the shuttle when the latter is being boxed to move the second named arm against the action of the resilient means.

5. In a loom having a lay with a shuttle box to receive a shuttle, a binder forming part of the shuttle box to check the motion of the shuttle, a connector to drive the lay having rising and fa1ling movements during the loom operation, a shaft mounted on the lay and extending substantially in the direction in which the shuttle is picked, means secured to the shaft to be operatively related to and moved by the connector, the latter effective through the means to rock the shaft in a given direction when the shuttle is about tobe boxed and to rock said shaft in the opposite direction when the shuttle is about to be picked, an arm secured. to the shaft, a second arm loosely pivoted to the shaft and operatively related to the binder, and resilient connections between the two arms, the first arm operative when the shaft is moving in said given direction to cause the resilient means to urge the second arm in a direction toward the binder, and said first arm operative when the shaft moves in the opposite direction to move in a direction away from the resilient means to lessen the pressure exerted by said resilient means against the second arm.

6. In a loom having a lay with a shuttle box to receive a shuttle, a binder forming part of the shuttle box to check the motion of the shuttle, a connector to drive the lay having rising and falling movements during the loom operation, an element to be operatively related to and moved by the connector periodically when the connector is in one position and to be disconnected from the connector when the latter is in a different position, a pair of arms movable relatively to each other, one of said arms fixed with respect to the element and movable with the latter, and resilient means between the arms, the arm which is fixed relatively to the element operative when the latter is operatively related tothe connector to cause the yielding means to urge the other arm toward the binder.

7. In a loom having a lay with a shuttle box to receive a shuttle, a binder forming part of the shuttle box to check the motion of the shuttle, a connector to drive the lay having rising and falling movements during the loom operation, means carried by the binder to define a slot extending transversely of the shuttle box, a guide secured to the lay and projecting through the slot, an element to have periodic operative relation with the connector when the latter is in one position to be moved by said connector, an arm in fixed relation with respect to and moving with the element, .a second arm movable relatively to the first arm to engage the binder at a point adjacent the slotted means, and a resilient connection between the arms effective when the connector moves the element and first arm to urge the second named arm against the binder and tend to move that part of the binder adjacent the slotted means transversely of the shuttle box toward the shuttle when the latter is being boxed.

ELLIOT A. SANTON. 

